Surgical anchor and package and cartridge for surgical anchor

ABSTRACT

A cartridge for holding a generally cylindrical surgical fastener in position for ease of handling, comprising a holder having a surface for grasping by a user, the holder having a cup-shaped surface for engagement with the surgical fastener and for fixing the fastener in position on the holder and a threading loop extending from the holder for extending through an aperture in the surgical fastener. A combination, preferably provided as a sterile packaged unit includes the cartridge and the surgical fastener and may also include the suture and a surgical fastener emplacement tool.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/711,988, filed Sep. 10,1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,300.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to surgical fasteners and in particular,to surgical anchors suitable for fastening sutures in bio-organicmaterials, for example, bone. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to a cartridge for holding a surgical fastener or anchor forease of handling prior to insertion. The invention also relates to acombination comprising a cartridge and a surgical fastener, preferablydisposed in a sterile package. The invention also relates to thesurgical anchor itself.

This application is related to co-pending application Ser. No.08/426,715 (2346-7), commonly owned by the Assignee of the presentapplication. Application Ser. No. 08/426,715 discloses a surgical boneanchor or fastener for fastening sutures to bone. That applicationdiscloses various embodiments of bone anchors including a bone anchor ofthe type shown in this application. The present application relates to aconvenient cartridge assembly for holding the suture anchor, forthreading a suture into the suture anchor and for holding the sutureanchor in a convenient position prior to its engagement and fixation bya suture anchor emplacement device. The present application also relatesto an improvement to the surgical anchor disclosed in theabove-described co-pending application.

Reference is also made to commonly assigned co-pending application Ser.No. 08/294,067 (2346-2) for a basic disclosure of surgical anchors ofthe type described herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cartridge andholder for a suture anchor of the type disclosed in the above co-pendingapplication.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide aconvenient means for threading a suture onto a suture anchor of the typedisclosed in the above co-pending application.

Yet still a further object of the present invention is to provide adevice comprising a combination of a cartridge for holding a sutureanchor and a suture anchor.

It is yet still a further object of the present invention to provide animprovement to the surgical anchors disclosed in the above describedco-pending patent applications.

The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved by acartridge for holding a surgical fastener in position for ease ofhandling, comprising, a holder having a surface for grasping by a user,the holder having a concave surface for engagement with the surgicalfastener and for fixing the fastener in position on the holder, and athreading loop extending from the holder for extending through anaperture in the surgical fastener.

The objects of the invention are also achieved by a combinationcomprising, a cartridge for holding a surgical fastener in position forease of handling, the cartridge comprising a holder having a surface forgrasping by a user, the holder having a surface for engagement with thesurgical fastener and for fixing the fastener in position on the holder,a threading loop extending from the holder for extending through anaperture in the surgical fastener, and a surgical fastener engaged bysaid holder with the threading loop disposed through the aperture in thesurgical fastener.

The objects of the invention are furthermore achieved by a combinationcomprising a cartridge for holding a surgical fastener in position forease of handling, the cartridge comprising, a holder having a surfacefor grasping by a user, the holder having a surface for engagement withthe surgical fastener and for fixing the fastener in position on theholder, and a surgical fastener engaged by said holder.

The above and other objects of the invention are also achieved by asurgical anchor for securement into an organic medium comprising, afirst generally hollow cylindrical member having a plurality oflongitudinally extending engaging fingers; a second generally hollowcylindrical member having a plurality of longitudinally extendingengaging fingers, the fingers of said first member and said secondmember opposing each other and being interdigitated, there beingprovided cam surfaces on each member for engaging with fingers of theopposed member; a central longitudinally extending shaft disposedconcentrically in said first and second members, the shaft having anabutment at a distal end abutting against the first of said members andhaving an engaging surface at a proximal end for engagement by anemplacement tool for emplacing the anchor into the organic medium; themembers moving longitudinally relatively towards each other duringemplacement of the anchor, the longitudinally extending fingers of eachmember abutting against the cam surface of the opposed member therebycausing the longitudinally extending fingers to move radially outwardlyas the two members move relatively towards each other, the fingers ofeach member thereby penetrating into the organic medium to secure theanchor in position in the organic medium; and further wherein, thefingers of one member are of a different length than the fingers of theother opposed member, thereby causing the fingers of the one memberhaving a longer length to begin engaging in the organic medium prior tothe fingers of the other member.

The above and other objects of the invention are also achieved by asurgical anchor for securement into an organic medium comprising, afirst generally hollow cylindrical member having a plurality oflongitudinally extending engaging fingers; a second generally hollowcylindrical member having a plurality of longitudinally extendingengaging fingers, the fingers of said first member and said secondmember opposing each other and being interdigitated, there beingprovided cam surfaces on each member for engaging with fingers of theopposed member; a central longitudinally extending shaft disposedconcentrically in said first and second members, the shaft having anabutment at a distal end abutting against the first of said members andhaving an engaging surface at a proximal end for engagement by anemplacement tool for emplacing the anchor into the organic medium; themembers moving longitudinally relatively towards each other duringemplacement of the anchor, the longitudinally extending fingers of eachmember abutting against the cam surface of the opposed member therebycausing the longitudinally extending fingers to move radially outwardlyas the two members move relatively towards each other, the fingers ofeach member thereby penetrating into the organic medium to secure theanchor in position in the organic medium; and further wherein a proximalmost one of said member is crimped around said central longitudinallyextending shaft thereby to secure said proximal most member frictionallyto said shaft.

The above and other objects of the invention are also achieved by asurgical anchor for securement into organic medium comprising, a firstgenerally hollow cylindrical member having a plurality of longitudinallyextending engaging fingers; a second generally hollow cylindrical memberhaving a plurality of longitudinally extending engaging fingers, thefingers of said first member and said second member opposing each otherand being interdigitated, there being provided cam surfaces on eachmember for engaging with fingers of the opposed member; a centrallongitudinally extending shaft disposed concentrically in said first andsecond members, the shaft having an abutment at a distal end abuttingagainst the first of said members and having an engaging surface at aproximal end for engagement by an emplacement tool for emplacing theanchor into the organic medium; the members moving longitudinallyrelatively towards each other during emplacement of the anchor, thelongitudinally extending fingers of each member abutting against the camsurface of the opposed member thereby causing the longitudinallyextending fingers to move radially outwardly as the two members moverelatively towards each other, the fingers of each member therebypenetrating into the organic medium to secure the anchor in position inthe organic medium; and further wherein said control longitudinallyextending shaft includes a distal pointed end to enable self tapping ofsaid suture anchor into said organic medium.

The above and other objects of the invention are also achieved by asurgical anchor comprising: a generally hollow cylindrical member havinga plurality of longitudinally extending fingers, the fingers beingadapted for radial movement so as to penetrate into an organic medium inwhich the suture anchor is emplaced; a longitudinally extending shaftextending through said member, the longitudinally extending shaft havinga distal end of enlarged diameter to secure the member against axialmovement, and further comprising a body surrounding said longitudinallyextending shaft proximally of said member, said body having a camsurface for abutting against said longitudinally extending fingers ofsaid member, said longitudinally extending shaft having an engagingsurface at a proximal end for engagement by an emplacement tool, thesurgical anchor being adapted to be engaged by said emplacement tool sothat an axial force generated by said engagement tool will move saidmember axially against said cam surfaces, thereby causing saidlongitudinally directed fingers to move radially outwardly intoengagement with an organic medium; the longitudinally extending shafthaving a releasable connection, the releasable connection being locatedat a position distal to a proximal most end of said longitudinallyextending fingers, so that when said anchor is emplaced in an organicmedium, the proximal most end of said fingers are elevated above theproximal most end of said longitudinally extending shaft fixed in saidorganic medium.

The above and other objects of the invention are also achieved by amethod for marking the location of a bore hole in an organic medium at asurgical site comprising: forming a hole in the organic medium;emplacing a surgical anchor in said hole in the medium having aproximally extending shaft, the shaft extending above the surface of theorganic medium having the hole therein thereby to mark the location ofthe hole; the surgical anchor being of the type which can be emplacedinto the hole in the organic medium without being fixed in the organicmedium for later fixing in the organic medium.

The above and other objects of the invention are achieved by a surgicalanchor for securement into an organic medium comprising, a firstgenerally hollow cylindrical member having a plurality of longitudinallyextending engaging fingers; a second generally hollow cylindrical memberhaving a plurality of longitudinally extending engaging fingers, thefingers of said first member and said second member opposing each otherand being interdigitated, there being provided cam surfaces on eachmember for engaging with fingers of the opposed member; a centrallongitudinally extending shaft disposed concentrically in said first andsecond members, the shaft having an abutment at a distal end abuttingagainst the first of said members and having an engaging surface at aproximal end for engagement by an emplacement tool for emplacing theanchor into the organic medium; the members moving longitudinallyrelatively towards each other during emplacement of the anchor, thelongitudinally extending fingers of each member abutting against the camsurface of the opposed member thereby causing the longitudinallyextending fingers to move radially outwardly as the two members moverelatively towards each other, the fingers of each member therebypenetrating into the organic medium to secure the anchor in position inthe organic medium; and further wherein the fingers of one member areadapted to begin engaging in the organic medium prior to the fingers ofthe other member, thereby to assist in penetration of said fingers inthe medium.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the detailed description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in greater detail in the followingdetailed description with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the cartridge and suture anchor according tothe present invention prior to threading of a suture into the sutureanchor;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the cartridge according to thepresent invention with the suture anchor removed;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a suture anchor according to the aboveprior co-pending application removed from the cartridge;

FIG. 4 shows the suture anchor after it has been embedded in a bore in amedium such as bone;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a portion of the suture anchor whichseparates from the portion which is embedded in the medium, shown inFIG. 4, and which is discarded;

FIG. 6 shows a back view of the cartridge of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 7 shows the suture anchor after threading;

FIG. 8 shows the suture anchor fully threaded prior to emplacement in amedium such as bone;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a modified form of the suture anchor shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a portion of the suture anchor of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 shows a detail of FIG. 10;

FIG. 11A shows a modified form of the anchor of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 shows a detail of a portion of the anchor of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 shows a further detail of a portion of the anchor of FIG. 9,partly in cross-section;

FIG. 14 shows one of the hollow cylindrical engaging elements of theanchor of FIG. 9;

FIG. 15 shows the other of the hollow cylindrical engaging elements ofFIG. 9;

FIG. 16 shows yet another modified form of the suture anchor;

FIG. 17 shows yet another embodiment of the suture anchor, one having alow profile; and

FIG. 18 shows how the anchor of the present invention can be used insoft cancellous bone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, a cartridge for a surgical boneanchor is generally identified with reference numeral 10. The sutureanchor that the cartridge 10 is adapted to hold is indicated generallyby reference numeral 40.

In the embodiment illustrated, the cartridge 10 comprises a generallyE-shaped member having two recesses 12 and 14 and three extending prongs16, 18 and 20. Prong 18 is cup-shaped in a direction transverse to thelongitudinal direction of the cartridge 10, as shown most clearly inFIG. 2. The cup-shaped recess is identified at 18A. Similarly, prong 20is also cup-shaped, the cup-shaped recess identified as 20A. Prongs 18and 20 are adapted to hold the suture anchor 40. In particular, thecup-shaped portion of prong 18 is adapted to hold the suture anchor 40such that the suture anchor 40 snaps into the cup-shaped portion 18A ofthe prong 18 yet is easily removable.

The cartridge 10 also includes a threading device 22 which comprises alooped spring wire 22. The looped wire 22 has two ends 24 which aresecured in a region 26 of the cartridge 10 which comprises a recess intowhich a grooved finger gripping portion 28 is disposed. Finger grippingportion 28 comprises a disc having a suitable grooved or hatched patternon an external surface and suitable snaps on a backside thereof forsnapping into the cartridge body 10. At the same time, the ends 24 ofthe spring clip 22 are fastened by the disc member 28 to the cartridge10. FIG. 6 shows the reverse side of the cartridge 10 showing the twowires 24 in phantom clamped in the circular recess in which the discmember 28 snaps. The disc member 28 has two rearwardly extending fingers29 which facilitate snapping in of the disc member 28 in an opening 30in the cartridge 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ends 24 of the spring wire threadingmember 22 are fed through a groove 27 disposed in the cartridge body 10to the clamping site beneath disc member 28.

The surgical anchor 40 of the type disclosed herein is described in theabove co-pending applications. The surgical anchor 40 comprises asubstantially cylindrical main body portion 41, also shown inperspective view in FIG. 5. A rod 42 is slidably received in alongitudinal bore 43 in body 41. The rod 42 has an elongated slot 42Atherein through which an alignment pin 41A extends. The alignment pin41A is securely fitted in an aperture extending transversely throughbody 41. The alignment pin secures the rod 42 in body 41 for slidablemovement limited by the length of slot 42A. The alignment pin thus keepspieces 41 and 42 together, preventing their separation. Further, as willbe explained below, after actuation of the anchor in a bore in a mediumsuch as bone, the alignment pin keeps the disposable portion of rod 42together with the body 41. As will be explained below, the body 41 and aportion of the rod 42 which breaks off from the distal end of the rod 42upon activation form a disposable assembly.

Additionally, the alignment pin 41A helps to keep a suture slot 52 inrod 42 through which the suture is threaded in alignment with a slot 54in the body 41, as described below. Thus, alignment pin 41A keeps therod 42 from rotating with respect to the body 41.

The rod 42 is coupled slidably to a distal portion 44 of the surgicalanchor 40 which is received in a bore in a medium in which it is to beimplanted, i.e., into a bore in bone. The portion 44 comprises a rodportion 45 which is a continuation of and integral with the rod 42,being connected to the rod 42 via a frangible or breakable connection46. The member 45 has a cone shaped or flared end 47 which secures twohollow cylindrical elements 48 and 49 having interdigitated fingers 48Aand 49A and disposed around rod 45. The member 49 is secured against anabutment 50 which is a part of the cylindrical member 41. The portion 45includes an aperture comprising a suture slot 52 therein through whichthe suture 53 is threaded.

In addition, the cylindrical main body portion 41 includes elongatedslot 54 therein on each side thereof for rearward (proximal) dispositionof the suture therein. The suture is looped through an aperture 52 inrod portion 45, as described below and the two ends of the suture arereceived in the grooves 54 when the suture anchor is being emplaced inthe medium. The groove 54 continues into the portion 45 of the sutureanchor portion which is embedded in the medium.

At the proximal end, the rod 42 includes a notch 56 which is engageableby an emplacement tool, described, for example, in applicant's aboverecited co-pending application.

The cartridge of the invention is preferably provided as a sterilepackaged unit including cartridge body 10 and the surgical fastener 40mounted thereon as shown in FIG. 1. The package can also include suture53 threaded through loop 22. The combination of the cartridge 10 andfastener 40 and preferably suture 53 are contained within a sealed,sterile package, e.g., a clear plastic package, not shown.

Additionally, one or a plurality of the cartridges and surgicalfasteners can be provided as a sterile packaged unit together with anemplacement tool, not shown, but described in the above co-pendingapplication.

The spring threading member 22 is provided disposed through the opening52 in rod 45 of the member 40.

To use the anchor, if not already threaded, a surgeon first threads thesuture 53 through the loop 22, such that the suture 53 has a short endand a long end. The portion 26 provides a convenient place for graspingthe cartridge body 10 with the fingers. The suture anchor 40 can now beremoved from the cartridge 10 by relatively moving the suture anchor 40with respect to the cartridge to separate the anchor and cartridge,e.g., by moving the anchor in the direction of arrow 60, thereby pullingthe anchor 40 away from the cartridge 10. In so doing this, a loop ofthe suture 53 will be threaded through the bore 52 in the rod 45. Thisis shown in FIG. 7. The anchor 40 is pulled relatively away from thecartridge 10, with the result that free short end 62 of suture 53 willbe pulled entirely through the bore 52 in rod 45, resulting in theposition of the suture shown in FIG. 8. The two ends of the suture canthen be guided along the slots 54 proximally. The cartridge body withthe suture anchor 40 can then be engaged by the emplacement tool, notshown, which engages with the notch 56 in the rod 42.

The emplacement tool with the anchor 40 attached is then used to implantthe anchor in a bore 69 in, e.g., bone 70, at the surgical site. SeeFIG. 4.

The emplacement tool is not shown, but is described and shown inApplicant's above co-pending application. When the tool is thenactuated, rod 42 is moved slidably proximally, causing the portion 45connected to the rod 42 also to move proximally. This causes elements 48and 49 to move relatively toward each other, causing the fingers 48A and49A to be displaced radially outwardly as they bear on respective camsurfaces of the other of the elements 48 and 49, as shown in FIG. 4,resulting in the fingers penetrating into the sidewalls of the bore 69disposed in the medium 70, such as bone. The fingers penetrate into thebone 70 thereby locking the anchor into the bore in the bone. After thefingers 48A and 49A are caused to lock the anchor into the medium, theemplacement tool is further actuated. The force acting in the directionof arrow 74, see FIG. 3, causes the frangible connection 46 between rodportion 42 and rod portion 45 to snap, resulting in separation of theembedded surgical anchor portion 44 from the rod portion 42 and thuscylindrical member 41. The portion 40A comprising the cylindrical member41 and the rod 42, as shown separately in FIG. 5 in perspective view,can then be discarded.

Preferably, anchor 40, including all parts thereof (41, 42, 45, 48 and49 and all subparts), is made of a suitable biocompatible material, suchas a stainless steel, titanium, etc. as known to those of skill in theart.

The frangible connection 46 may be made by disposing a groove in the rod42 which weakens the rod 42 so that it snaps at a prescribed amount oftensile force in rod 42.

When anchor 40 is removed from the cartridge 10, the two opposedportions 22A and 22B of the wire forming the loop of the threadingmember 22 will move toward each other, squeezing to conform to the sizeof the aperture 52. After the suture wire loop 22 passes completelythrough the aperture 52, the loop will spring back into the shape shownin the drawing figures.

FIG. 9 shows a modified form of the suture anchor of FIG. 1. Likecomponents are indicated by like reference numerals. A major distinctionbetween the suture anchor of FIG. 9 and that of FIG. 1 is that themembers 48' and 49' have fingers 48A' and 49A' of different lengths, asshown more particularly in FIGS. 11, 14 and 15. FIGS. 14 and 15 showperspective views of the elements 48' and 49'. The reason for making theelements 48' and 49' have different length engaging fingers 48A' and49A' is so that a staged deployment of the suture anchor can beachieved. It has been determined, in some instances, particularly invery hard cortical bone, that it is sometimes difficult to achieve fulldeployment of all fingers of the elements 48 and 49 of the anchor ofFIG. 1. The reason for this is that all fingers deploy at approximatelythe same time. It has been found that if a staged deployment is used,i.e., allowing the fingers of one element 48 or 49 to deploy first, andthen later have the fingers of the other of the elements 48 and 49deploy later, that a more secure fastening of the suture anchor can beachieved.

To this end, the suture anchor of FIG. 9 has an engaging element 48'having longer fingers 48A' than the fingers 49A' of the element 49'. Inthis way, the fingers 48A' engage first by moving against cam surfaces49B of the member 49' having the shorter fingers 49A'. Once the fingers48A' of the element 48 have engaged to some extent in the bone, and thusmoved radially and longitudinally, the fingers 49A' of the member 49'will then come into abutment with the cam surfaces 48B of the member 48.The fingers 49A' will begin to penetrate into the bone while the fingers48A' continue the penetration previously started. As some point, oncefull penetration has been achieved, the frangible connection 46 willbreak, leaving the member 48', 49' and 45 secured in the bone. Thestaged deployment provided by this embodiment allows a greater force tobe applied initially to a smaller number of fingers (fingers 48A')because the penetrating force is applied initially only to the fingersof element 48'. This allows fingers 48A' to penetrate with greater forceinto the bone.

As shown in FIG. 11, in order to secure rod 45 from moving distally intothe bore, (it cannot move proximally because of the flare of the portion47), a portion of the member 49', in the area shown shaded indicated at100 in FIG. 11, is provided with a crimp so that generally cylindricalmember 49' has a somewhat flattened oval shape in cross-section,frictionally engaging the rod 45.

As an alternative, as shown in FIG. 11a, rod 45 may also be providedwith an enlarged diameter portion 102 with the member 49' being crimpedso that upon actuation of the anchor, the member 49 jumps over theenlarged portion 102 of shaft 45 to secure the shaft 45 in positionagainst any axial movement.

FIG. 16 shows a further embodiment of a portion of the suture anchoraccording to the present invention. Again, like reference numerals areused for like components. The major difference between the embodimentshows in FIG. 16 and the other embodiments is that tip 47' is made witha sharp point. In this embodiment, the anchor can be tapped into thebone without requiring a bore hole to be drilled. This embodiment of thesuture anchor thus forms self-tapping and forms its own borehole. Inorder to assist tapping in of the suture anchor, the emplacement tool,to which the suture anchor is attached prior to insertion, is providedwith a tapping surface on a proximal end. The tapping surface can bestruck with a suitable instrument such as a hammer.

FIG. 17 shows yet another embodiment of the suture anchor according tothe present invention. In this embodiment, the suture anchor is formedsuch that the frangible connection 46 is disposed so that after thefingers 48 engage into the bore, the proximal end of the penetratingfingers are at a level no lower than the proximal tip of the rod 45 towhich the suture is affixed. In this way, it is assured that no portionof the suture anchor can stand above the top surface of the bone. FIG.18 shows the suture anchor of FIG. 17 emplaced in a bore in bone,showing how the proximal end 45A of the rod 45 is below the proximal endof the penetrating fingers 48A. As also shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, thesuture anchor only includes a single cylindrical engaging member 48, thefingers 48A not being interdigitated with another cylindrical engagingelement as in the previous embodiments. In this embodiment, the body 41is provided with suitable cam surfaces 49B' for causing a radialextension of the fingers 48A. Also shown in FIG. 16, this embodimentincludes a sharp three pointed distal end 47 so that it is also selftapping, if desired to be used in this way.

As shown in FIG. 18, the anchor of the present invention operates muchlike a grappling hook, particularly when it is deployed in softcancellous bone. As shown in FIG. 18, the cortical or hard layer of thebone is indicated at 150. The less hard subcortical layer is shown at151. The soft cancellous layer is indicated at 152. When the anchor isdeployed, the fingers 48A extend into the soft cancellous bone. Aspressure is exerted on the sutures 53, which tend to pull the anchor outof the bore hole, the fingers may move axially up against the bottomsurface of the harder subcortical bone 151, thereby securely holding thefastener in position.

The anchor of the present invention provides a number of advantages oversuture anchors and prosthetic anchors of the prior art. One advantage isthat the anchor causes no damage to tissue upon insertion, because theanchor, in the case of a predrilled bore, does not require excessiveforce to be inserted. This results in less damage generally to tissue,since the anchor is not a force fit" and no external force need beapplied to the tissue in order to insert the anchor. Once the anchor isinserted, it is activated by an emplacement tool which causes thefingers 48A, 49A to penetrate into the bone.

Another advantage of the anchor according to the present invention isthat the anchor can be emplaced and removed prior to activation. Forexample, upon initial emplacement of the anchor but prior to activationof the fingers 48A, 49A to penetrate into the bone, if the surgeonbelieves that the anchor is improperly located, the anchor can be easilyremoved, a new hole drilled and the anchor emplaced at the appropriatepoint.

Another advantage of the anchor according to the present invention isthat it can be made very small and yet is adequately strong as a sutureor prosthetic anchor.

A further advantage of the anchor according to the present invention isthat relatively low forces are necessary to emplace the anchor. Theemplacement tool as described in the above co-pending patent applicationmagnifies the force exerted by the surgeon many times to activate theanchor. Accordingly, the anchor can be emplaced into very hard bone,requiring a relatively low finger force to be exerted by the surgeonwhich is magnified into a larger force to achieve penetration into thebone. In this respect, the finger force required by the surgeon toactivate the anchor is essentially independent of the type of bone andbone quality.

A further aspect of the present invention is that the anchor can beinserted into a bore hole in bone and prior to actuation, can be used asa convenient marker for the location of the bore hole. During surgery,body fluids will tend to cover over bore holes drilled in tissue, makingthem difficult to locate after an amount of time has passed by.According to the present invention, the anchor can be inserted into thehole immediately after it is drilled and not activated to allow markingof the location of the hole. Once the surgeon is satisfied with theemplacement of the anchor or anchors, they can then be actuated byengaging the anchors with the emplacement tool.

A further aspect of the present invention is that upon insertion no walldamage by threads or spring fingers is caused to the bore, as in priorart surgical anchors.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 17 employing a self-tapping anchorhaving a sharp pointed end 47, it is noted that even though the anchoris tapped into the bone and is self-tapping, until the anchor itself isactivated by causing the fingers 48A to move radially into the bonetissue, the anchor can be fully retracted at any time prior toactivation.

The present invention can also be used as a bone plug, e.g., to plug alower portion of a bore hole in bone to prevent, e.g., cement fromextruding past the bone plug. For example, as shown in FIG. 18, if thesurgical anchor is inserted into a bore hole, it can be used to seal offportions of the bore hole below the surgical anchor. In this way, cementdeposited in the bore hole above the anchor is prevented from extrudinginto the lower portions of the bore hole.

Although the present invention has been described in relation toparticular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modificationsand other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art.Therefore, the present invention should be limited not by the specificdisclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A surgical anchor for securement into an organicmedium comprising:a first generally hollow cylindrical member having aplurality of longitudinally extending engaging fingers; a secondgenerally hollow cylindrical member having a plurality of longitudinallyextending engaging fingers, the fingers of said first member and saidsecond member opposing each other and being interdigitated, there beingprovided cam surfaces on each member for engaging with fingers of theopposed member; a central longitudinally extending shaft disposedconcentrically in said first and second members, the shaft having anabutment at a distal end abutting against the first of said members andhaving an engaging surface at a proximal end for engagement by anemplacement tool for emplacing the anchor into the organic medium; themembers moving longitudinally relatively towards each other duringemplacement of the anchor, the longitudinally extending fingers of eachmember abutting against the cam surface of the opposed member therebycausing the longitudinally extending fingers to move radially outwardlyas the two members move relatively towards each other, the fingers ofeach member thereby penetrating into the organic medium to secure theanchor in position in the organic medium; and further wherein thefingers of one member are of a different length than the fingers of theother opposed member, thereby causing the fingers of the one memberhaving a longer length to begin engaging in the organic medium prior tothe fingers of the other member.
 2. A surgical anchor for securementinto an organic medium comprising:a first generally hollow cylindricalmember having a plurality of longitudinally extending engaging fingers;a second generally hollow cylindrical member having a plurality oflongitudinally extending engaging fingers, the fingers of said firstmember and said second member opposing each other and beinginterdigitated, there being provided cam surfaces on each member forengaging with fingers of the opposed member; a central longitudinallyextending shaft disposed concentrically in said first and secondmembers, the shaft having an abutment at a distal end abutting againstthe first of said members and having an engaging surface at a proximalend for engagement by an emplacement tool for emplacing the anchor intothe organic medium; the members moving longitudinally relatively towardseach other during emplacement of the anchor, the longitudinallyextending fingers of each member abutting against the cam surface of theopposed member thereby causing the longitudinally extending fingers tomove radially outwardly as the two members move relatively towards eachother, the fingers of each member thereby penetrating into the organicmedium to secure the anchor in position in the organic medium; andfurther wherein a proximal most one of said members is crimped aroundsaid central longitudinally extending shaft thereby to secure saidproximal most member frictionally to said shaft.
 3. The surgical anchorof claim 2, further wherein the shaft is provided with an area ofincreased diameter whereby to lock said two members to said shaftagainst axial movement when said at least one member having said crimpedportion moves axially over said portion of increased diameter, therebylocking said two members against the portion of increased diameter fromaxial movement.
 4. A surgical anchor for securement into organic mediumcomprising:a first generally hollow cylindrical member having aplurality of longitudinally extending engaging fingers; a secondgenerally hollow cylindrical member having a plurality of longitudinallyextending engaging fingers, the fingers of said first member and saidsecond member opposing each other and being interdigitated, there beingprovided cam surfaces on each member for engaging with fingers of theopposed member; a central longitudinally extending shaft disposedconcentrically in said first and second members, the shaft having anabutment at a distal end abutting against the first of said members andhaving an engaging surface at a proximal end for engagement by anemplacement tool for emplacing the anchor into the organic medium; themembers moving longitudinally relatively towards each other duringemplacement of the anchor, the longitudinally extending fingers of eachmember abutting against the cam surface of the opposed member therebycausing the longitudinally extending fingers to move radially outwardlyas the two members move relatively towards each other, the fingers ofeach member thereby penetrating into the organic medium to secure theanchor in position in the organic medium; and further wherein saidcentral longitudinally extending shaft includes a distal pointed end toenable self tapping of said suture anchor into said organic medium.
 5. Asurgical anchor comprising:a generally hollow cylindrical member havinga plurality of longitudinally extending fingers, the fingers beingadapted for radial movement so as to penetrate into an organic medium inwhich the suture anchor is emplaced; a longitudinally extending shaftextending through said member, the longitudinally extending shaft havinga distal end of enlarged diameter to secure the member against axialmovement, and further comprising a body surrounding said longitudinallyextending shaft proximally of said member, said body having a camsurface for abutting against said longitudinally extending fingers ofsaid member, said longitudinally extending shaft having an engagingsurface at a proximal end for engagement by an emplacement tool; thesurgical anchor being adapted to be engaged by said emplacement tool sothat an axial force generated by said engagement tool will move saidmember axially against said cam surfaces, thereby causing saidlongitudinally directed fingers to move radially outwardly intoengagement with an organic medium; the longitudinally extending shafthaving a releasable connection, the releasable connection being locatedat a position distal to a proximal most end of said longitudinallyextending fingers, so that when said anchor is emplaced in an organicmedium, the proximal most end of said fingers are elevated above theproximal most end of said longitudinally extending shaft fixed in saidorganic medium.
 6. The surgical anchor of claim 5, further comprising asuture threading aperture in said longitudinally extending shaft distalto said releasable connection.
 7. The surgical anchor of claim 6,wherein said releasable connection comprises a frangible portion of saidlongitudinally extending shaft.
 8. The surgical anchor of claim 7,wherein said frangible connection comprises a groove provided in saidlongitudinally extending shaft to provide a weakened area of saidlongitudinally extending shaft such that an axial force of a presetmagnitude will cause said longitudinally extending shaft to break atsaid groove.
 9. A surgical anchor for securement into an organic mediumcomprising:a first generally hollow cylindrical member having aplurality of longitudinally extending engaging fingers; a secondgenerally hollow cylindrical member having a plurality of Longitudinallyextending engaging fingers, the fingers of said first member and saidsecond member opposing each other and being interdigitated, there beingprovided cam surfaces on each member for engaging with fingers of theopposed member; a central longitudinally extending shaft disposedconcentrically in said first and second members, the shaft having anabutment at a distal end abutting against the first of said members andhaving an engaging surface at a proximal end for engagement by anemplacement tool for emplacing the anchor into the organic medium; themembers moving longitudinally relatively towards each other duringemplacement of the anchor, the longitudinally extending fingers of eachmember abutting against the cam surface of the opposed member therebycausing the longitudinally extending fingers to move radially outwardlyas the two members move relatively towards each other, the fingers ofeach member thereby penetrating into the organic medium to secure theanchor in position in the organic medium; and further wherein thefingers of one member are adapted to begin engaging in the organicmedium prior to the fingers of the other member, thereby to assist inpenetration of said fingers in the medium.